According to an old definition lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins or glycoproteins. William Boyd therefore coined the term lectin in 1954, deriving it from the Latin word legere meaning to choose. Boyd was also the first researcher to identify the blood type specificity of many common dietary lectins.

Typically, lectins can bind to many of the carbohydrate antigens found in the gut and immune system, causing a variety of health problems. These can include intestinal dysbiosis, bowel hyperpermiability, immune dysfunction, food sensitivities and systemic inflammation. This is usually accomplished by direct agglutination of the target cells. Lectins can occur in very common foods in the diet, and the majority are specific for the carbohydrates of the ABO blood typing system. In one study, the edible parts of 29 of 88 foods tested, including common salad ingredients, fresh fruits, roasted nuts, and processed cereals were found to possess significant lectin-like activity as assessed by hemagglutination and bacterial agglutination assays.

Several common lectins, in particular, wheat germ agglutinin, are known to bind to the insulin receptor and mimick the hormonal effects of insulin on adipose tissue, an under-appreciated action which can account for why individuals on high carbohydrate diets often have difficulty contolling their weight. Thus, lectin blocking is a safe and rational method for enhancing weight loss.

Deflect O

One of Dr. D'Adamo's most popular and foundational formulas, Deflect has a wide range of applications, including

When you eat a food containing a protein lectin not Right 4 Your Type, these lectins adhere to carbohydrate receptors throughout the intestines. While the reaction takes place in the gut, the harmful effects can reveal themselves throughout the body, in symptoms ranging from bloating and allergy-like conditions to weight gain and lethargy.

Even if you were to follow the Blood Type Diet, repeated lectin response leaves behind years of damage. Deflect goes to work right away on existing lectin damage, 'scrubbing' away harmful lectin attachments.